The Shining (1980)
Kernel Score: 95% · 18,668 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Horror, Thriller
Released: 1980-05-23
Runtime: 144 minutes
Is The Shining worth watching?
Must-watch. Kubrick's haunted-hotel film builds dread through cold, careful camerawork and a growing sense that something is wrong with the father. It's slow, ambiguous and unsettling, and the images stay with you.
Watch it if you
- like slow-building psychological horror
- enjoy Kubrick's precise style
- want a classic that still unsettles
Skip it if you
- need jump scares
- dislike ambiguous endings
Best for: Solo night in the dark
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch The Shining
- Stream: HBO Max
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
Jack Torrance accepts a caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel, where he, along with his wife Wendy and their son Danny, must live isolated from the rest of the world for the winter. But they aren't prepared for the madness that lurks within.
The Shining parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that this landmark Stanley Kubrick horror film is intense and frightening, with disturbing violence, heavy alcoholism, brief nudity, and a relentlessly dark tone.
- Violence & scariness: Strong — Terrifying psychological horror: an axe attack through a door, a stabbing, a bloody corpse, the iconic elevator of blood, a frozen death, and a child menaced throughout.
- Sex, romance & nudity: Moderate — A notable scene features full nudity that turns grotesque (the woman in room 237).
- Language: Moderate — Some strong language during the increasingly violent confrontations.
- Drinking, drugs & smoking: Moderate — The father's alcoholism is central; he drinks heavily as he unravels.
- Products & purchases: None
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Shining
If you liked The Shining, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Doctor Sleep (2019) — 78%: Direct follow-up following Danny as an adult
- Psycho (1960) — 91%: Landmark horror built on tension and a disturbed man
- Rosemary's Baby (1968) — 88%: Slow-burn dread in an ordinary-looking setting
- 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) — 94%: Kubrick's other cold, ambiguous masterwork
- A Clockwork Orange (1971) — 90%: Kubrick's unsettling, stylised violence
- The Conjuring (2013) — 90%: Modern haunted-house horror done with craft
Director
Cast
- Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance
- Shelley Duvall as Wendy Torrance
- Danny Lloyd as Danny
- Scatman Crothers as Hallorann
- Barry Nelson as Ullman
- Philip Stone as Grady
- Joe Turkel as Lloyd
- Anne Jackson as Doctor
- Tony Burton as Durkin
- Lia Beldam as Young Woman in Bath
The Shining FAQ
Is The Shining worth watching?
Must-watch. Kubrick's haunted-hotel film builds dread through cold, careful camerawork and a growing sense that something is wrong with the father. It's slow, ambiguous and unsettling, and the images stay with you.
Where can I watch The Shining?
In the US you can stream The Shining on HBO Max and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is The Shining OK for kids?
The Shining is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that this landmark Stanley Kubrick horror film is intense and frightening, with disturbing violence, heavy alcoholism, brief nudity, and a relentlessly dark tone.
What movies are like The Shining?
If you liked The Shining, try Doctor Sleep, Psycho, Rosemary's Baby and 2001: A Space Odyssey.